Outsourcing is common – if you employ an outside company to clean your premises you’re already doing it.

Many businesses now outsource many of their non-strategic activities or more complex tasks to get access to industry best practice and cutting-edge technology.

This enables the business to benefit from the outsourcing company’s economies of scale and investment in highly-trained staff while it concentrates on its core business activities.

Processes you could consider outsourcing include:

• IT functions – you can outsource most IT functions, from network management to project work, website development and data warehousing. You may benefit from the latest technology and software upgrades without having to invest in expensive systems or keep up with industry trends.
• Business processes and HR – outsourcing activities such as recruitment, payroll and secretarial services gives you access to specialist skills, but you only pay when you need to use them.
• Finance – you already outsource auditing, so why not do the same with your entire accounting function, including bookkeeping, tax management and invoicing?
• Sales and marketing – many organisations use a consultant or an agency to handle marketing communications – smaller businesses, or those in specialised markets, can also outsource sales to specialist agencies
• Health and safety – There are consultants who specialise in health and safety compliance tasks. They may be able to ensure you meet all the requirements, including those for complex risks, more cost-effectively than you can.